In Hinduism, a pathasala (IAST:Pāṭhaśālā) (also written as pathashala) is a traditional religious school where knowledge of the Vedas is transmitted to male Brahmin students.
In a pathasala, children are taught in Sanskrit by Brahmins. In India, the term pathasala has become synonymous with the term Vidyalaya which refers to school. Before British rule, along with gurukulas, pathasalas served as primary educational institutions in India. Pathasalas were non-residential in nature, where as gurukalas were residential.